Marker or tag



Feb. 21, 1933. E TIMSON I 1,898,274

7 MARKER OR TAG Filed Feb. 29, 1932 IHII I J k2 Z VE YE'F Patented Feb.21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES E. 'IIIMISON; OF DEERFIELD,ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T WILLIAM COOPER 8c NEPHEWS, INCORPORATED, OFCHICAGO,

ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS MARKER OR TAG Application filedFebruary 29, 1932. Serial No. 595,689. 7

The present invention relates to markers or tags which are permanentlysealed and applied to articles and things, and whlch when applied offerno uneven or projectingportions to catch some object and then be subjectto accidental removal.

The invention has been herein illustrated and described in connectionwith markers or tags for attachment to animals, but it is susceptiblefor attachment to articles and things of inanimate as well as animatenature.

The invention is of the type comprising a strip of metal bent to formtwo arms, the end of one of which is pointed and the other end of whichis provided with an aperture or recess through which the pointed end ispassed and then curled or clinched over for permanently connectingtogether the ends of the strip.

An object of the present invention is to provide a marker or tag whichwill punch its own hole so that the marker or tag may be applied andfastened permanently in position by a single operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a self-cutting marker ortag which is permanently sealed against fraudulent or accidentalremoval.

A further object of the invention is to provide a marker or tag whichwhen applied in place has no corners, projections or uneven parts tobecome engaged by some foreign object and thus liable to be torn awayfrom the thing marked. i

A still further object of the invention is to provide a marker or tag ofsimple construction so as to be economically manufac- 40 tured inquantity lots and readily applied in permanent position with minimumeffort. v

The above, other and further objects of the invention will be apparentfrom the following description, accompanying drawing and appendedclaims.

Tags of the present invention may be used for ear markers for cattle orfor marking slaughtered cattle or hides, or like articles or things, aswell as used for permanent mark-" ers in connection with inanimatethings where it is desired to have such things identified.

Generally speaking, the invention contem plates a marker or tag formedof a strip 5 of metal having at one end a point and at the other end acovered aperture through which the point is forced and in which thecover for the aperture is provided with an indentation to cause thepoint to curl over or be clinched as the point is forced into theaperture, thus permanently connecting together the ends of the marker.

The accompanying drawing illustrates markers embodying the principles ofthe present invention, and the views thereof are as follows:

Figure 1 illustrates the ear of an animal with a marker embodyingprinciples of the Figure 4 in which the cap has been applied to one endand in which the point at the other end has been finished.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through a marker ofthe present invention showing the relation of the parts with the pointdisposed adjacent the aperture and in which the lugs securing the cap tothe strip serve as guiding means for the point on its entry into theaperture.

Figure 7 is a fragmental enlarged sectional view through a marker of thepresent invention with the parts permanently fastened together whereinthe indentation of Figure 2 is employed.

Figure Sis an end view of the arrangement illustrated in Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 7 illustrating the effect of theindentation of Figure 3.

The drawing will now be explained.

The form of clip chosen to exemplify the i present invention consists ofa metal strip A having formed at one end a narrowed point 1 and near theother end an aperture 2. Ad jacent the aperture 2 slots 3 and 4 areprovided, one on each side of the aperture. The point 1 is furthersubjected to suitable action to provide an enlarged pointed andsharpened piercing extremity or tip 5 and with the lines defining themerger of the pointed end 1 with the body as being curved at 6 toprevent the formation of sharp shoulders or points when the marker issecured in position.

A cap 7 of generally semi-circular form is provided with two lugs 8 and9 and is applied to the strip A by passing the lugs 8 and 9 through theslots 4 and 3 respectively adjacent the aperture 2. The lugs 8 and 9 arethen crimped so that the free ends thereof enter the aperture 2 and formguideways for the pointed end of the marker as the end is forced intothe cap. Figures '6, 7 and 9 illustrate the inturnedends of the lugs 8and 9 which serve as guideways for the pointed end of the marker, thuseliminating the existence of any sharp edges or projections adjacent theslot which might accidentally engage some foreign object to tear or tendto tear the marker from its attached article, such for instance as theear of an animal.

After the cap 7 has been applied in the manner described an indentationis made in the same by any suitable means.

The cap 7 of Figure 2 is formed with an elongated indentation 10extending in the direction of the length of the strip and as thereillustrated extends from near the center of the cap toward itsperiphery.

The cap 7 of Figure 3 is provided with a spherical or circularindentation 11 eccentrically disposed with respect to the center of thecap.

Figure 7 illustrates the action of the indentation 10 of Figure 2 andFigure 9 illus trates the action of the indentation 11 when the pointedend is forced into and through the aperture 2.

The indentation ll of Figure 3, under some circumstances, might bepreferable to the elongated indentation 10 as the pointed extremity 5might be so shaped as to be moved sidewise, when brought into engage--ment with the indentation 10 as not to be properly curled or clinchedwhen the pointed end is forced into the aperture. Provision of thecircular indentation therefor offers a greater obstructing surface tothe entry of the point, thus insuring proper clinching or curling of thepoint when the parts are fastened together.

The utilization of the curved lines 6 at the junction of the pointed endwith the body of the strip prevents the formation of sharr points orshoulders at this junction which might perchance, if the same werepresent,

engage some foreign object such as the branches of trees, wire of afence or the like when the marker is applied to an animal, resulting inthe tearing of the animals ear, infecting of the ear, and possible lossof the ta lhe marker or tag of the present invention is permanentlysecured to things to be marked and cannot be removed unless part of themarker or tag is broken, thus permanently destroying it and preventingits reuse.

The tags herein illustrated and described have not been provided withsuitable indicia as it is presumed that the user will apply whateverindicia he desires to such markers or tags.

The gist of the present invention resides in the utilization ofsubstantially semi-spherical caps for certain markers or tags and theformation of indentations or depressions in the caps of such nature asto assure clinching or curling of the pointed ends of the markers whenforced through the apertures underneath the caps.

The extremity or tip 5 is reduced in thickness so as to readily cutthrough an article with minimum damage, and more easily be curled orclinched within the cap. The tip 5 is substantially that of an arrowhead, and in width is greater than any part that fo lows it when forcedinto an animals ear, or other article to be marked.

A shoulder 5a is formed Where the tip is reduced in thickness. Thisshoulder limits the approach of the arms of the tag when applied toprevent squeezing together of such arms. The shoulder5a strikes the capdepression, thus stopping further entry of the point into the cap. Thereduced thickness of the tip facilitates the curling action thereofwithin the cap. All cutting is done by the tip and none by the partbelow or beyond the shoulder 5a.

I claim as my invention:

1. A sealing marker comprising a U- s-haped body having an aperture inone end and slots one on each side of said aperture, a cap over saidaperture, said cap having lugs extending through said slots and bentwith the free ends of the lugs in said aperture to hold said cap inplace, the other end of said body being bent at an angle to the same andextending toward the cap end of said body, the extremity of said bentportion being sharpened and reduced in thickness for cutting an articlewhen applied thereto and for entering said cap, the inturned ends ofsaid lugs forming guides for directing the sharpened end into the cap.

2. A marking and sealing tag comprising a bent metal strip having oneend sharpened and reduced in thickness to provide a piercing tip andhaving near the other end an opening for receiving said sharpened end,the piercing tip being of greater width than the balance of the tag thatfollows it and a cap covering said aperture on one side of said strip,said cap having an indentation therein for engagement by said sharpenedend and for bending over said end when the same is forced into said capto lock together said strip ends in permanent association.

3. A marking and sealing tag comprising a bent metal strip having oneend sharpened and reduced in thickness and having near the other end anopening for receiving said sharpened end, and a cap covering saidaperture on one side of said strip, said cap having an eccentricallydisposed circular indentation therein for engagement by said sharpenedend and for bending over said end when the same is forced into said capto look together said strip ends in permanent association.

4. A marking and sealing tag comprising a bent metal strip having oneend sharpened and reduced in thickness to provide a piercing tip andhaving near the other end an opening for receiving said tip, and a capcovering said aperture, said cap having an elongated indentation thereinextending in the direction of the length of the strip for engagement bysaid tip and for bending over said tip when the same is forced into saidcap to lock together said strip ends in permanent association, the tipbeing of greater width than any part of the tag following it.

5. A marking and sealing tag comprising a bent metal strip having a capcovered aperture at one end and a point at the other end, the tip of thepoint being reduced in thickness and having a part wider than thebalance of the point for penetrating purposes when said tag is applied.

6. A marking and sealing tag comprising a bent metal strip having a capcovered aperture at one end and a point at the other end, the tip of thepoint being reduced in thickness defining a shoulder, the shoulderserving to limit the approach of the bent parts of the strip when tag isapplied.

7 A marking and sealing tag comprising a bent metal strip having a capcovered aperture at one end and a point at the other end, the tip of thepoint being reduced in thickness and wider than the balance of the pointfor penetrating purposes when tag is applied, the width of the cut madebeing the width of the widened tip.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Chicago, CookCounty,

Illinois.

CHARLES E. TIMSON.

